Years ago, before Briles arrived, Baylor had less fans for home games at creaky old Floyd Casey Stadium than it did for Sunday’s Bear Walk over that bridge — which just so happens to have a title sponsor.

And that’s just one program, one moment, in a clear and undisputable truth: the right coach and the right program can create a magnificent college football symphony.

Three years ago, Ohio State lost seven games. Then Urban Meyer arrived with his $4 million a year salary and won 24 straight.

Three years ago, Kevin Sumlin took over a stale Texas A&M program and introduced the college football world to something called Johnny Football. This offseason, his contract was increased to $5 million per, and last Thursday, we got a glimpse of Kenny Hill.

Seven years ago, Alabama sucked up a whole lot of embarrassment (and a lot of buyout money) to land Nick Saban, the man who swore he wouldn’t coach Alabama. Now Saban, and his $7 million a year salary, rule the game.

Anyone who tells you coaching salaries are out of control doesn’t understand the value of the position; doesn’t comprehend what a successful, positive football team can contribute to the health and welfare of a university. Anyone who tells you coaching salaries are out of control doesn’t see the impact of the right fit.

Florida State struggled for more than a decade in the waning years of one of the greatest coaches to ever walk the sidelines. And the best thing Bobby Bowden did in that lost decade was hire Jimbo Fisher as offensive coordinator/coach-in-waiting.

The best thing former president T.K. Wetherell did a couple of years later was force Bowden out so he wouldn’t lose Fisher to another program. How much did Wetherell want to keep Fisher?

He was willing to pay Bowden a full salary as a ceremonial coach to, according to Bowden, “stand on the sideline and not coach.”

Last season’s national championship run, the first at FSU in 15 years, shows why.

2. Anchored Down

3. Burnt Orange blues

Of all the teams and all the scenarios that could define Charlie Strong’s first season at Texas, somehow none seems more appropriate than BYU.

It was last year’s debacle in Provo that set the wheels in motion to eventually force out longtime popular and successful coach Mack Brown. Texas gave up 679 yards in that 40-21 loss, including a school-record 550 yards rushing.

Brown fired defensive coordinator Manny Diaz after the game, but the damage already was done. Texas, for years seen as soft under Brown, couldn’t have played the role better.

So Strong, the architect of those nasty Florida defenses in the mid- to late-2000s, arrives with his Texas Tough attitude. And here comes BYU, rolling into Memorial Stadium in Austin this weekend with the same dual-threat quarterback (Taysom Hill) who rushed for 259 yards on the Longhorns last season.

You can’t preach Texas Tough — to fans, to recruits, to boosters — and not show it when in matters most. As crazy as it sounds, this is the most important game on the Longhorns’ schedule.

You can’t talk it and not walk it. Or as they say in Texas: all hat, no cattle.

The very thing Strong was hired to fix.

This week's game against BYU will tell a lot about Charlie Strong's Longhorns. (Getty Images)

4. Rivalry no more

Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the last Notre Dame-Michigan game for the foreseeable future.

In a college football era brought about by the boom of television and conference realignment, we’ve lost our way when it comes to what made this sport: the rivalries.

Notre Dame and Michigan have ended their series because the Irish walked away after signing on with the ACC as a non-football playing member. Sort of.

ND wanted the Michigan game when it could get it; Michigan wanted it annually. ND wanted to expand its recruiting footprint into the south (adding games against Texas, Georgia), Michigan wanted the game annually.

See where this is headed?

“We understand the great tradition and the rivalry of the Michigan game,” said ND coach Brian Kelly. “If it could have worked, it would have worked — but it does open up some pretty exciting games in the future.”

It also leaves a gaping hole in traditional rivalries. But ND-Michigan isn’t alone in the rivalry impacted by the new world of the sport:

— Nebraska vs. Oklahoma: Was damaged (but not ended) with the expansion of the Big Eight to the Big 12, and then ended outright years later when Nebraska left for the Big Ten. Schools recently signed to play home-an-home series in 2021-22.

— Florida vs. Miami: Teams aren’t scheduled to play again, and may not play a home and home series ever again (Florida officials weren’t happy with logistics of last year’s game at Miami). A telling decision: Florida had an open spot on the 2017 schedule, and opted for a game against Michigan in Arlington, Texas. Best bet for a renewal of the series is Orlando or Tampa playing host to a neutral site game.

— West Virginia vs. Pittsburgh: There’s no reason why one of the most bitter rivalries in the sport ended after each left the Big East. There are plenty of openings on both schedules , though West Virginia, because it plays nine Big 12 games, has less wiggle room.

— Texas vs. Texas A&M: Better hope for a bowl game because Texas wants no part of Texas A&M after the Aggies left for the SEC. Texas A&M, meanwhile, doesn’t need Texas on its schedule with the heft of the SEC behind it.

— Colorado vs. Nebraska: Haven’t played since 2010 (when CU left for the Pac-12 and Nebraska for the Big Ten), and won’t play again until 2018-19 and 2023-24.

After Miami beat Florida last season, the two rivals aren't scheduled to play again. (Getty Images)

— South Carolina’s defense is, in a word, awful at the two most important areas on the field: pass rush and pass coverage. We decided to ignore that the Gamecocks were replacing five of the eight starters from those positions — including a dude named Clowney — because Steve Spurrier’s offense would save the day. It was only three touchdowns and three two-point conversions from keeping up.

Needless to say, guess who gets thrown into the upset barrel this weekend with pass-happy ECU and QB Shane Carden coming to town?

— Here’s what the official statistics say about UCLA QB Brett Hundley’s fun day in Charlottesville, Va., last weekend: a previously average UVa defense had five sacks and 11 tackles for loss. A more remarkable stat: UVa didn’t have one official quarterback hurry — which is odd, because when I watched the game, it looked like the Cavs had 18,000.

This, from UCLA offensive line coach Adrian Klemm: “It was probably one of the worst performances I’ve been part of as a player or a coach.”

And you Bruins wanted to bathe in the College Football Playoff talk. From Sept 13 to Oct, 11, UCLA has games against Memphis, Texas (Arlington, Texas), at Arizona State and Oregon.

— At this point, I’m done talking about Kenny Hill until he puts up another record passing performance, which, knowing Kevin Sumlin’s offense, might just be this week against Lamar. If he plays more than two quarters.

A more pressing development for the Aggies: DE Myles Garrett. I’m fairly confident in saying he had a significantly better debut than Jadeveon Clowney did three years ago. The best freshman of Week 1 — and it wasn’t close.

— For those who thought Trevor Knight would play like he did against Alabama throughout this season (hello, Hayes), maybe there really was something to that “consolation game” talk after all.

Knight completed 56 percent of his passes against an horrible Louisiana Tech defense, throwing one touchdown and one interception and looking a whole lot like the Knight before Alabama. OU doesn’t beat Baylor with that production; doesn’t beat Oklahoma State or Texas or maybe even Kansas State.

Trevor Knight didn't look like the same QB who led the Sooners past Alabama last season. (Getty Images)

7. USC’s stand

Remember last season when Steve Sarkisian, then the coach at Washington, accused Stanford of faking injuries after a tough loss to the Cardinal?

Both Sarkisian and Stanford coach David Shaw say the incident really wasn’t an incident at all, and that both have “moved on.” It’s a lot easier for Sark to move on because, on pure front line players, no one in the Pac-12 can match USC’s talent.

And Stanford, despite all its success under Shaw, is rebuilding this fall. In other words, all the pressure in Saturday’s game in Palo Alto — hugely overshadowed by the Michigan State at Oregon game — rests with the Trojans and emerging QB Cody Kessler.

The last time USC won on The Farm in 2008, Pete Carroll was still coaching — and the USC offense hasn’t been as balanced and dangerous since. This team, with Kessler and WR Nelson Agholor and freshman WR JuJu Smith — and a talented trio of running backs — might be the best offense in college football.

If you’re going to fake injuries, Stanford, now might be a good time.

8. All Hail the Bison

OK, serious statement: either the Big 12 invites North Dakota State to join the conference, or the league’s teams have to stop playing the Bison.

Frankly, they’re giving the idea of FCS teams as rent-a-wins a bad name.

NDSU has beaten Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State (34-14 on Saturday) in the last four years, has won its last five games against FBS teams and is 8-3 vs. FBS teams since 2000.

If you’re being honest with yourself, you’d have to admit NDSU could also beat Kansas, and depending on the venue (home or away), Texas Tech, West Virginia and TCU. And maybe Texas.

Which, of course, in Bob Stoops’ mind, means the Bison could beat the bottom half of the SEC, too.

Take that, SEC snobs.

9. Perseverance, redefined

David Milewski wants you to know he’s not what you think he is. In fact, when he shows up in class at Rutgers, he looks for those who think they know who he is, and plops down right next to them.

“I know what people say about football players and school; I’ve heard other people in my classes say it,” said Milewski. “I find those people, sit next to them and then look at their faces when our tests come back and they see my grade.”

Want to root for someone this fall? Check out Milewski, the Hayes Good Guy of the week. He serves his community with the March of Dimes, the Special Olympics of New Jersey and Wounded Warrior Project, and has helped build homes in Haiti.

He has also had not one, not two but three ACL surgeries on the same knee. Hell, he has had more ACL surgeries than Bs in his Rutgers career.

After finally playing as a top back up last fall, Milewski began this season at Rutgers as a starter at defensive end. Here’s a guy who graduated summa cum laude last semester with a 3.9 GPA, and is taking classes toward earning his Masters in business administration.

In fact, if the NCAA awards him a sixth year of eligibility for 2015, he’ll be playing next fall while finishing up his masters.

“Pope John Paul II said leadership is meant to serve, not to be served,” Milewski said. ‘I’ve always felt that was my duty to serve, not only with my teammates, but off the field in the community.”

10. Mr. Everything

I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize the Georgia coaching staff, a group of quality men that apparently has finally realized it has Todd Gurley.